Method for manufacture of neckties



Dec. 19, 1967 H, DAVIDOWITZ ETAL 3,358,291

METHOD FOR MANUFACTURE OF NECKTIES Filed Nov. 4, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet l 1967 H. DAVIDOWITZ ETAL 3,358,291

METHOD FOR MANUFACTURE OF NECKTIES Filed Nov. 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent M 3,358,291 METHOD FOR MANUFACTURE OF NECKTIES Herman Davidowitz, 140 E. 95th St. 16028, and Jacob Davidowitz, 320 Riverside Drive 10025, both of New York, N.Y.

Filed Nov. 4, 1965, Ser. No. 506,309 8 Claims. (Cl. 2-146) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A method is provided for manufacturing neckties wherein strips of material having preselected dimensions are sewed together to form a basic fabric piece. Strips of reinforcing material are placed on the basic fabric piece, the edges of the basic fabric piece is folded over to enclose the reinforcing material strips straightening the basic fabric piece as per example by applying a tension force to successive portions along the length thereof without stretching the basic fabric, steaming the basic fabric piece While in a straightened condition and sewing the basic fabric piece to form a completed necktie.

This invention relates to a novel method for the manufacture of neckties which substantially reduces the cost thereof.

The method commonly used heretofore in the manufacture of neckties by sewing involved the following procedure. Strips of material of basic tie fabric were cut from a roll of material of fixed width and these basic fabric pieces were then sewn together to form a semifinished basic fabric piece. A pair of lining pieces were respectively sewn to the semifinished basic fabric piece at each of the ends thereof and longitudinal strips of reinforcing materials were superimposed on the basic fabri piece along its length. The operator then progressively folded over the edges of the basic fabric piece to enclose the reinforcing materials and pinned the edges of the basic fabric piece together at about six or eight points along its length to keep the basic piece in proper form for the sewing operation which then followed. The pins were removed in sequence 'as the tie was progressively sewn. Thereafter the tie was pressed to render it substantially fiat and shaped so as to be suitable for Wear.

Usually, as part of the sewing operation, the basic fabric material had to be extended in a straightening operation so that said material would not wrinkle or undulate but lie flat and straight on the reinforcing material. In order to minimize non-uniformities in the basic fabric material and in the shape of the completed necktie it was necessary to employ sufficiently skilled operators who were required to exercise great care in the sewing operation. Due to the aforementioned extending of the basic fabric material during the sewing operation, the tie would also stretch to an increased length. Much of said increase in length would be lost, however, soon after the sewing operation was completed.

An object of the present invention is to provide a novel method for manufacturing neckties which effects a substantial reduction in the cost of manufacture by reducing the number of steps and hence the time required in the manufacture procedure presently employed.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel method for manufacturing neckties which substantially reduces the cost thereof by simplifying the operations in the manufacture procedure to permit the employment of operators less skilled than those heretofore required.

Patented Dec. 19, 1967 A further object of the present invention is to provide a novel method of the manufacture of neckties which effects an appreciable saving in the cost thereof by reducing the amount of basic fabric required to produce a necktie of a given size.

In accordance with the principles of the present invention there is provided a method for manufacturing neckties comprising the following steps. Strips of material of preselected dimensions which are to comprise the basic exterior fabric of the finished necktie, are cut from a roll of material of fixed width. The strips of basic fabric are sewn together in a predetermined manner to form a longitudinal semi-finished basic fabric piece. Reinforcing strips of material are suitably placed on the basic fabric piece and a tie former is superimposed on the front end thereof. The basic fabric piece is then rolled and folded at its front end and a front weight is placed thereon.

The operator progressively folds over the edges of the basic fabric piece along its length and then extends successive portions of the basic fabric piece in a straightening operation to remove wrinkles and undulations formed by the rollover operation. In order to maintain each of said successive portions in a straightened condition, weights are successively placed at the ends of said portions as these portions are extended. Successive portions of the basic fabric piece are then steamed and the weights correspondingly removed as the operator proceeds along the length of the semi-finished basic fabric piece. The basic fabric piece is then pinned in at three points 'along the length of the piece merely to keep it from flapping open and it is then sewn to form a completed necktie.

The novel features believed to be characteristic of this invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its organization and method of operation together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 shows the comparative layouts of strips of basic fabric as cut by the old method and by the new method of the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the component pieces of fabric that comprise the necktie.

FIG. 3 shows a finished necktie as typically worn.

FIG. 4 shows the component fabric pieces of FIG. 2 placed on a work platform.

FIG. 5 illustrates how the basic fabric is extended and weighted.

FIG. 6 illustrates how the necktie is steam pressed and the weights removed.

FIG. 7 shows the necktie as pinned prior to final sewmg.

In FIG. 1 there is shown the layout of the strips of basic fabric 10 which form the basic fabric piece as cut from a roll of basic fabric mater'al in accordance with the method of the present invention as shown in FIG. 1a and described hereinafter and as cut by the old method as shown in FIG. 1b. It is seen by comparing FIGS. 1a and 1b that a saving in material corresponding to dimension 12 is obtained by cutting the strips of basic fabric material as shown in FIG. 1a. Typically, the roll of material of basic fabric has a 25" width and dimension 12 which represents the saving in basic fabric material is 1%", resulting in a saving of /3" per tie or 7 /2" per dozen ties. As described hereinafter, this saving in material is achieved, in accordance with the principles of the present invention, by suitably extending the basic fabric in a straightening operation in the course of assembling and forming the necktie.

In FIG. 2 there is shown the component fabric pieces which comprise a completed necktie. The basic fabric piece comprises three component pieces, cut from a roll of material in accordance with the layout of FIG. la, namely, long base piece 14, center section piece 16 and short base piece 18. A pair of white end pieces 20 and '22, which serve as a lining to the necktie, are respectively sewn to end portions 24 and 26 of long base piece 14 and short base piece 18. A forming plate 28 which serves as a guide for suitably folding and shaping front end portion 24, is superimposed on end piece 20 for this purpose. Neck band pieces 25 and 27 are placed in the basic fabric piece and serve, in the completed necktie, as a reinforcement to the basic fabric to enable the necktie to maintain its form and shape under continued wear and repeated knotting.

In FIG. 4 there is shown the component pieces of FIG. 2 as they are positioned together and placed on work platform 30. The semi-finished basic fabric piece 32 is shown to comprise long base piece 14, center section 16 and short base piece 18, respectively sewn together at seams 34 and 36 to have an overall length of 50". Neck baud piece 25 is placed in the center portion of basic fabric piece 32 and neck band piece 27 is superimposed thereon. The front end of basic fabric piece 32 is aligned with a V-guide mark 38 on work platform 30 and forming plate 28 is then placed on basic fabric piece 32 to correspond to guidemark 38.

As shown in FIG. 5, the operator progressively folds over front edges 42 and 40 of basic fabric piece 32 and superimposes front weight 44 thereon to secure the portion of front end 46 at guide mark 38. In a straightening operation the operator then straightens front portion 43 of basic fabric piece 32, which extends from front end 46 to an intermediate point 48 by applying a tension force thereto. The tension force thus applied at point 48, while suflicient to remove all wrinkles and undulations formed by the preceding rollover operation, is not so great as to disturb the normal unstressed condition of the basic fabric fibers or distort the pattern of the basic fabric. A weight 50 is placed on the basic fabric piece at intermediate point 48 as shown to anchor portion 48 in a straightened condition. Similarly, the remaining portions of the basic fabric 32 are successively extended in this straightening operation and corresponding weights 52, 54 and 56 are placed on basic fabric piece 32 to give it an overall straightened length of 54" as shown.

As indicated in FIG. 6, the operator then steam treats the straightened fabric piece 32 by placing a steam iron 58 in close proximity with, but not touching, piece 32. The operator steams successive straightened portions of basic fabric piece 32 along its length in the direction of the arrow shown beginning at the middle of front portion 43 in advance of weight 50 while correspondingly and successively removing weights 50, 52, 54 and 56 in that order. The remainder of front portion 43 is then steamed While correspondingly removing front weight 44. Since the basic fabric piece is steamed in a straightened and extended condition it will maintain its pre-stearned length of 54" after the steaming operation is completed. 4

After completion of the steaming operation as above the necktie will be perfectly formed. Forming plate 28 is then removed and basic fabric piece 32 is pinned in three places i.e., 59, 60 and 62 as shown in FIG. 7 to keep it from flapping open and prevent a shifting of the neck band pieces. The formed basic fabric piece 32 is then sewn together, as for example by slip-stitching, while correspondingly removing pins 59, 60 and 62 to form a finished necktie.

A basic feature of the present invention resides in the novel procedure whereby the necktie is steamed in a straightened state while in a semi-finished condition, rather than after being completely sewn as heretofore practiced. Said novel procedure enables the overall manufacturing process to be substantially shortened in time, since fewer and less complex operations are required than were previously necessary. In the method commonly used heretofore, a forming plate had to be inserted and removed as I part of two separate operations, in the initial pinning operation which preceded the sewing and in the final pressing operation which followed the sewing. In the method of the present invention, however, a forming plate is employed only once in the straightening and steaming operation.

In combining the straightening and steaming procedures into one continuous operation, the present method requires less time to complete each of these two procedures thw in the method commonly used heretofore. Straightening the basic fabric piece in its entirety with the aid of securing weights is less time consuming than the straighening procedure of the old method where each consecutive section had to be straightened separately and in relation to the previous section after that previous section had been sewn. Also fewer pins are required than heretofore to keep the basic fabric piece in proper shape. Furthermore, the final pressing of the method commonly used required that the necktie be picked up and straightened an additional time whereas in the present method the steam pressing is performed as part of and in conjunction with the single straightening operation. 7

The sewing operation of the present method requires less time than in the method commonly used heretofore since the sewing procedure is not interrupted by straightening procedures for each section of the necktie as in the old tmethod. Also, in the method commonly used it was often necessary as part of the sewing operation to clip protruding excess basic fabric in a trimming procedure whereas in the present method such excess basic fabric is folded under and flattened by the straightening and steam pressing procedure so that said excess basic fabric need not be clipped. Furthermore, fewer pins need be removed during the sewing operation of the present method than was previously necessary in the old method.

By virtue of the novel extending, straightening and steaming operation as described above, a substantial saving is effected in the amount of basic fabric required to produce a tie having an overall length of 54". In the case of a 25" width fabric roll, a length of basic fabric material 1%" shorter than that required by the old method is sufiicient for 2 neckties. Thus, a saving of approximately 15/: square inches of basic tie fabric per tie is accomplished.

While the above described method constitutes a particular embodiment of the invention, it will be understood that it is not wished to be limited thereto since modifications can be made both in the procedure of manufacture and in the instrumentalities employed and it is contemplated in the appended claims to cover any such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by US. Letters Patent is:

1. A method for the manufacture of neckties consisting of cutting strips of material having preselected dimensions from a length of basic tie fabric; securing said basic fabric strips together in a predetermined manner to form a basic fabric piece; placing strips of reinforcing material on said basic fabric piece; folding the edges of said basic fabric piece to enclose said reinforcing material strips; straightening said basic fabric piece; steaming said basic piece while in a straightened condition by placing a steam-producing means in proximity but not touching said basic fabric strip; and securing said basic fabric piece to form a completed necktie.

2. A method for the manufacture of neckties consisting of cutting strips of material having preselected dimensions from a length of basic tie fabric; securing said basic fabric strips together in a predetermined manner to form a basic fabric piece; placing strips of reinforcing material on said basic fabric piece; folding the edges of said basic fabric piece to enclose said reinforcing material strips; straightening said basic fabric piece; maintaining said basic fabric piece in a straightened condition; steaming said basic fabric piece while in said straightened condition by placing a steam-producing means in proximity but not touching said basic fabric strip; and securing said basic fabric piece to form a completed necktie.

3. A method for the manufacture of neckties consisting of cutting strips of material having preselected dimensions from a length of basic tie fabric; securing said basic fabric strips together in a predetermined manner to form a basic fabric piece; placing strips of reinforcing material on said basic fabric piece; folding the edges of said basic fabric piece to enclose said reinforcing material strips; weighting the front end of said basic fabric piece; extending successive portions of said basic fabric piece along the length thereof to thereby straighten said basic fabric material; maintaining said basic fabric piece in the straightened condition thereby obtained; steaming said basic fabric piece While in said straightened condition; and securing said basic fabric piece to form a completed necktie.

4.. A method for the manufacture of neckties consisting of cutting strips of material having preselected dimensions from a length of basic tie fabric; securing said basic fabric strips together in a predetermined manner to form a basic fabric piece; folding the edges of said fabric piece to enclose said reinforcing material strips; straightening said basic fabric piece; successively applying a tension force to successive portions of said basic fabric piece along the length thereof to thereby straighten said basic fabric material, said tension force being of a magnitude sufficiently large to remove undulations in said basic fabric caused by said prior folding operation yet less than that necessary to either stretch the fibers of said basic fabric or distort the pattern of said basic fabric; steaming said basic fabric piece while in said straightened condition; and securing said basic fabric piece to form a completed necktie.

5. A method for the manufacture of neckties consisting of cutting strips of material having preselected dimensions from a length of basic tie fabric; sewing said basic fabric strips together in a predetermined manner to form a basic fabric piece; placing strips of reinforcing material on said basic farbic piece; folding the edges of said basic fabric piece to enclose said reinforcing material strips; straightening said basic fabric piece; extending successive portions of said basic fabric piece along the length thereof to thereby maintain said basic fabric piece in a straightened condition; steaming said basic fabric piece while in said straightened condition; and securing said basic fabric piece to form a completed necktie.

6. A method for the manufacture of neckties consisting of cutting strips of material having preselected dimensions from a length of basic tie fabric; sewing said basic fabric strips together in a preselected manner to form a basic fabric piece; placing strips of reinforcing material on said basic fabric piece; folding the edges of said basic fabric piece to enclose said reinforcing material strips; straightening said basic fabric piece; extending successive portions of said basic fabric piece along the length thereof to thereby straighten said basic fabric material; successively weighting the opposite ends of each of said portions of basic fabric piece upon extending each of said portions to thereby maintain said basic fabric piece in a straightened condition; successively steaming said basic fabric piece portions and removing the weights at the ends thereof; and sewing basic fabric piece to form a completed necktie.

7. A method for the manufacture of neckties consisting of cutting strips of material having preselected dimensions from a length of basic tie fabric; sewing said basic fabric strips together in a predetermined manner to form a basic fabric piece; placing strips of reinforcing material on said basic fabric piece; folding edges of said basic fabric piece to enclose said reinforcing material strips; straightening said basic fabric piece; extending successive portions of said basic fabric piece along the length thereof to thereby straighten said basic fabric material; successively weighting the opposite ends of each of said portions of basic fabric upon extending each of said portions to thereby maintain said basic fabric piece in a straightened condition; successively steaming said basic fabric portions and removing the weights at the ends thereof; pinning said basic fabric piece at three preselected points along the length thereof to prevent said basic fabric piece from flapping open; sewing said basic fabric piece; and removing said pins to form a completed necktie.

8. A method for the manufacture of neckties consisting of cutting strips of material having preselected dimensions from a length of basic tie fabrics; sewing said basic fabric strips together in a predetermined manner to form a basic fabric piece; placing strips of reinforcing material on said basic fabric piece; placing forming plate on said basic fabric piece; folding the edges of said basic fabric piece to enclose said forming plate and said reinforcing material strips; straightening said basic fabric piece; extending successive portions of said basic fabric piece along the length thereof to thereby straighten said basic fabric material; successively weighting the opposite ends of each of said portions to thereby maintain said basic fabric piece in a straightened condition; successively steaming said basic fabric portions and removing the weights at the ends thereof; pinning said basic fabric piece at three preselected points along the length thereof to prevent said basic fabric piece from flapping open; removing said forming plate; sewing said basic fabric piece; and removing said pins to form a completed necktie.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,232,566 7/1917 Keiser 2-146 1,535,669 4/1925 Kelly 2-146 2,463,320 3/1949 Schwartz 2-146 FOREIGN PATENTS 944,938 4/ 1949 France.

PATRICK D. LAWSON, Primary Examiner. 

1. A METHOD FOR THE MANUFACTURING OF NECKTIES CONSISTING OF CUTTING STRIPS OF MATERIAL HAVING PRESELECTED DIMENSIONS FROM A LENGTH OF BASIC TIE FABRIC; SECURING SAID BASIC FABRIC STRIPS TOGETHER IN A PREDETERMINED MANNER TO FORM A BASIC FABRIC PIECE; PLACING STRIPS OF REINFORCING MATERIAL ON SAID BASIC FABRIC PIECE; FOLDING THE EDGE OF SAID BASIC FABRIC PIECE TO ENCLOSE SAID REINFORCING MATERIAL STRIPS; STRAIGHTENING SAID FABRIC PIECE; STEAMING SAID FABRIC PIECE WHILE IN A STRAIGHTENING CONDITION BY PLACING A STREAM-PRODUCING MEANS IN PROXIMITY BUT NOT TOUCHING SAID BASIC FABRIC STRIP; AND SECURING SAID BASIC FABRIC PIECE TO FORM A COMPLETED NECKTIE. 